I finally did it!

I am a life coach. With that comes the responsibility of doing the things I encourage my clients to do- like de-clutter or get my house in order. De-cluttering has always been a problem of mine. I get attached to things, I save too much, I don't take the time to set up a system or put things away or file for that matter. Then after things pile up, I get frustrated and try to tackle it.

For the last 15 months it has been my goal to clean up my bedroom. I moved here 4 years ago and still hadn't put everything away. I was almost done last summer when I stopped short of completion. What was left was the 3 boxes of papers that needed sorting, thinning out, or filing. The desk had a layer of old bills and notes about this and that. My dresser had piles of winter socks and assorted small items. My side of the bathroom vanity was piled high with makeup, hair products and jewelry.

This year I've been motivated by the fact that my daughter is getting married and the photographer will be taking pictures upstairs- Melissa getting ready, Melissa and her bridal party, Melissa and her proud mom, whatever!

So yesterday, after talking with MY life coach (yes I have a coach too)about why I've been resisting the final push, I set up a schedule and did it! I stayed focused on the task. I resisted my computer, the phone, the to-do list,the refrigerator and my dog. Now the taxes are all filed, the papers are put away, and donations are in a bag heading to Goodwill. I even tackled the master bath. Toiletries are thinned out and shelved, and the jewelry is organized.

I am quite proud of myself. When I woke up this morning, I no longer had to look at a messy desk or bookshelf, cluttered corners or a messy bathroom. I could open my eyes and enjoy what I was seeing! The wedding is 10 days away and I am ready. Woo Hoo!

See beyond the obstacles

I don't usually talk about my spiritual life publicly, but this week's church sermon really got me thinking. We had a guest priest in church this past weekend, an Irish friend of our pastor. He mentioned the story of St. Bernadette, who heard the voice of Mary every day for 2 weeks. Mary asked Bernadette to visit the grotto day after day until it started to draw very large crowds. (Her hometown of Lourdes, France is now famous because of Bernadette), but by the 14th day the police had blocked off the grotto. Bernadette had to go to the other side of the stream, climb up the terrain a bit and look down on the grotto from a distance, beyond all the obstacles, in order to see Mary in the grotto. Father Harris made the comparison to our lives, where we come to church daily or weekly to be with God and get beyond all the obstacles in our lives; work and family demands, technology, the hustle and bustle of life.

This concept of seeing our lives from above the obstacles is what life coaching has done for me and what I try to do for my clients. Don't let the hustle and bustle of life, along with its demands and obstacles, keep you from seeing what your life purpose is. Don't let the inner obstacles of fear or doubt keep you from living the life that you are meant to live. Where is your focus? The distractions or the distant path yet traveled?

Take some time to envision the possible paths your life can take.
Make the time to evaluate the obstacles that are keeping you blocked.
Create a plan or strategy to bust through the obstacles now, before you waste more time submitting to your fears, doubts, and trivialities of life.
Make your life mean something powerful.
And finally, connect to what ever spirituality allows you to be one with yourself without judgment or criticism. Accept who you are and be the best you can be.

Have a great day.
~Monica

A Healthy Lifestyle

A doctor will tell you to quit smoking, a health teacher will tell you ways to avoid getting sexually transmitted diseases, the TV will remind you of the many chronic illnesses to avoid like Emphysema, Diabetes, Heart Attacks, etc. The average American woman can probably tell you at least 20 health tips off the top of her head, like drinking more water, avoiding saturated fats, not adding too much salt or sugar to her diet, exercising 30 minutes a day, and giving up sweetened drinks. What most of them have in common is sacrifice, which is why most women don’t follow their own knowledge of how to live a healthier life.

So what will help people choose to follow healthier habits? I believe that working with a life coach can help a person flush out the reasons why she is choosing the wrong habits and help her choose a better way to live. A life coach can help her client assess how she is currently living, what is causing stress and anxiety in her life, and what is NOT working for her. She is then able develop the intentions and strong conviction to reassess her lifestyle, not for a fad diet, but to make life-long changes that come from a new awareness and confidence.

Consistently living healthy habits is more of a mental health issue than a lack of knowledge, for the most part. A happy and fulfilled person who knows how to deal with life’s issues is not the kind of person to binge on sweets or take risks with their health. A woman who is comfortable in her own skin and in healthy relationships with those around her, is emotionally more stable and less likely to fall victim to poor health habits.

As a whole life coach, and a relationship coach, I help women flourish in all aspects of their lives; from personal growth to health and career. If one area of your life is unfulfilled or causing anxiety, it will have an effect on all areas of your life. I enjoy helping my clients see the big picture.

If this interests you, I hope you will contact me for a free consultation.
monica@newstepslifecoaching.com